| Summary: | Honeycomb materials possess high energy absorption characteristics and are useful for the impact protection of structural members. Various honeycomb configurations are being developed for a variety of applications. Analytical models are now available to determine the energy absorption characteristics of the regular hexagonal type of honeycomb. However, the development a parameterized analytical model that can determine the energy absorption characteristics of various honeycomb shapes is needed. In this research, a parameterized analytical model is developed for the typical honeycomb shape, and is validated using experimental and finite element analysis. Honeycomb materials exhibit strain-rate effects at impact velocities. They can have higher energy absorption during dynamic crush than during quasi-static crush. In order to determine the energy absorption of honeycomb material at higher velocity, the characterization of it must be made using high-impact testing machines, which are expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, development of an analytical model that can predict energy absorption at higher velocities is needed. Also, strain-rate coefficients must be determined for each particular type of honeycomb since the strain rate depends on the geometrical properties of the honeycomb. Therefore, strain-rate coefficients were developed for each honeycomb model in this research. The energy absorption of honeycombs at higher impact velocities was also determined using the low-velocity test, which will be useful when only low-velocity machines are available for testing honeycombs. Finally, a performance analysis was carried out using response surface methods to maximize energy absorption of the honeycomb. === Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering === "May 2005."
|
|---|
